This Piece of Material
by This Is My Pen Name Be Jealous
Summary: "And then today, marking the two week anniversary of his death, she stared doing the laundry again. As she was sorting through all the clothes, she came across something unexpected, something she had forgotten all about."


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

It had been two weeks since the Battle of Hogwarts. Two weeks since her son died. And two weeks since she had cried over his lifeless form as she begged him to come back to her.

She remembered coming home from the battle. Her eyes, as they always did, went straight toward her clock. She watched as nine of the hands, one for each Weasly including Fleur, move from 'mortal peril' to 'home' and she watched as one hand , the one that hadn't move, the one with Fred's smiling face on it, slowly crumble and fall off. She remember running to it, picking it up and just staring at it as tears started to silently flow down her cheeks. She remembered how all the Weasly's and Harry and Hermione, gathered together, trying unsuccessfully to comfort her and each other. That's when reality set in. Yes, Lord Voldemort, the reason behind all of their fears, was dead but so was Fred, their son, their brother, their friend.

The first week without him was passed in a haze. Everyday, she just laid in her bed crying, unable free herself from her mind. She was feeling so many different emotions, emotions that were so opposite from each other, anger, happiness, depression, excitement, and so many other ones, that she ended up feeling nothing at all. She was completely numb to the world.

Now at week two, she was slowly coming back to the world. She got out of bed in the morning, cleaned the house a little and even started cooking again, not three extravagant meals a day but small meals that she made at random points throughout the week. Cooking however, did not hold the same joy as it used to. She found that every time she made something, she ended up making one of Fred's favorite meals which brought back all the memories of him which always led to tears.

And then today, marking the two week anniversary of his death, she stared doing the laundry again. As she was sorting through all the clothes, she came across something unexpected, something she had forgotten all about. She gasped as she pulled out from the big pile of clothes one of Fred's old t-shirts. This particular t-shirt that she found, wasn't just any t-shirt, no, it was his favorite t-shirt. It was just a red and gold t-shirt with his Quidditch number on it. So simple, but still, his favorite. She remember how they had always begged him to throw it away, because of how worn out it was and how he had always refused, claiming that it was his favorite. But now, she knew that she would never be able to bring herself to actually throw it away.

She grabbed it and hugged it tight as she began to weep for her lost boy. She longed to hold him in her arms again like she did just before the battle. She had hugged each and every one of her children dreading what was to come, knowing that it was close to impossible for them all to come out of this awful war alive but still, so desperately hoping that they would. She gripped it tight as she thought of how unfair it was that her son, who was so young, who had some much life left in him, had to die such an untimely death. She wondered how she would go on with out him. How she would live with the guilt of out living her child.

She gazed at the shirt lovingly as she remembered the day he got it. It was just after he left Hogwarts, it came by owl during breakfast. It was customary for all Hogwarts Quidditch players to receive one once their Quidditch career at Hogwarts was over. He was so excited when he received it. He was nervous that he wouldn't get one because of Umbridge. But once Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts, he made sure to send them. The moment he saw it, he put it on and for the next month, he only took it off for work and when it needed to be washed.

She continued to stare at it, tears still streaming down her face, when she heard someone coming up behind her.

"Hey Mum," George said, "I heard you were doing laundry and I came to see if you needed—" he stopped short as he saw what she was holding in her hands "is that…?" he choked out.

"Yes" she said quietly.

And for the first time since the battle, George allowed himself to cry, he had been trying so hard to stay strong for his family and himself, but seeing this shirt, was his undoing. He fell to his knees and hugged his mother, who had long ago lost all strength in her knees. She held him close to her as he cried on her shoulder. Together they held onto the shirt, refusing to let it go, trying to comfort each other as they cried.

After what felt like forever, their tears started to subside. They began to laugh and even shed some tears as they started reminiscing about all the good time that had had with Fred. George told Molly all the things they had done together at Hogwarts, all the pranks they had pulled, all the fights they had gotten in, all the Quidditch practices and games she had missed. Then Molly went on and on with a never ending list of all the things they had done as children. They talked about how much they missed him; how they wished they could have saved him, how much they wished he was here with them now sharing past memories with them.

This piece of material that they held onto so tightly as the remembered him was their connection to him. It symbolized his years at Hogwarts and his life. It symbolized his unyielding loyalty to not only his Quidditch team, but to his friends and his family. This piece of material that looked to any outsider like an ordinary piece of material was to the Weasly's, the most precious piece of material in the world.

**A/N**: First off, I'd like to apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors I didn't ask anyone to proof read this one so I am truly sorry for any mistakes you find. Also, I'd like to thank The Invisible Ninja who not only proof reads most of my stories, but inspired me to write this one. As always, reviews would be greatly appreciated.


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